Paying to find young person a first job

What does she want to do? Whats the field she wants to get in to?

If £500 is not expensive to you, I'd pay it. It's good that you are so keen to help and support her, but an outsider's perspective is needed. The coach might identify some sticking points you haven't thought of. For example, if DD's attitude is like some of your replies (mis-titling your post, drip-feeding essential information, dismissing some jobs as 'shitty', still not being clear whether she is currently working or not), it will need to change. First, she might become more open to actions that will enhance her CV. Second, she could connect with the recruitment circuit for her chosen field. Third, you said 'she wants a career'. No, she has to make the career want her.

OP, I think you should do a media search on "graduate jobs" to get some context, which may help your daughter see she is not alone.

There is a huge squeeze on grad jobs right now. It's even worse for many young people with fewer qualifications. It is very very difficult for young people to find work at the moment - not just the work they would prefer, but any work at all. Some industries/preferred careers are worse hit than others.

The youth unemployment rate is running at an average 16% but is higher than that in some areas (London for example).
Explanations for this state of affairs varies depending on which media/political perspective you favour, but the general gist is that the economy is not growing at all - partly because of geopolitical reasons (eg Brexit has wiped billions off UK GDP; Trump's tariffs and wars; Ukraine war ... and so on), partly because economic tweaking by this current Govt hasn't been very successful so far (eg employers all say National Insurance rises have put them off hiring young people).
The career coach might well be able to improve the presentation of your daughter's CV a little bit but a better approach would be for your daughter to apply her skills of strategic thinking to which UK industries are currently growing. She could also widen her horizons outside the UK if she hasn't already. She might find she can get a job in another country if she is willing to travel.
In the last recession a tradesperson who had been through the previous one said to me: "you just have to get through these economic downturns any way you can and be ready to go as soon as the good times roll again" and I think there is something in that.
Your daughter is really lucky that she has you on her side to help and that is a very big bonus for her. Many young people without parents with the social, cultural and economic capital to help them are doing it on their own.

i really recommend the book “ what color is your parachute” which sets out a process to identify and approach organisations you want to work for.
I used that when I was in a similar position and it worked for me.

The career coaching would probably be better suited to someone who has had a career. I benefited from one that was part of a redundancy package, but I also did another one a few years later (made redundant again) and it wasn't very good.

This is a child with nine a star GCSE3 A’s are A-level Russell Brick university, What most people would consider a proper degree narrowly missed a first.
The person you are posting about is not a child. They are a well-qualified adult with very little relevant work experience.

The qualification might not be a vocational one or one that would lead to a preofession.

There's a lovely young man working at my local Tesco. He has a good recent business-related degree and he can't get work. Not that that helps your DC other than it's not just your DC going through this.

The career coaching tends to focus on transferrable skills. Your DC can work through WCIYP? and come up with a list of transferrable jobs.

FWIW, When I graduated decades ago, the university careers office were not useful, but I found some council-run careers advice, which was poor.
I was pretty clueless.
The Jobcentre had a job club and that was great.

Could your DC look at other career options - maybe a conversion MSc or PGCE?

I did read everything you said which is why I asked you a question? I wanted to understand your thinking. Not sure why that upset you, if it has.

If she’s low confidence and depressed that will come across in her applications.
What are her hobbies and interests?
Rather than focusing just on career related experience I’d encourage her to look at anything to boost her confidence.
My dd is 20 but has been a guide young leader and worked two summers at American summer camp. She has no intention of working with children for her career but the experience has been great for her confidence and skills.

Um no. Did you read everything I wrote? I think I used the term ‘wholly good’ when talking about the original intentions behind it…

I’m saying that the ability to ‘think’ has been removed from the process and so rather than creating a process that is actually fair for all, we now have a process which is set up to reward those with a singular skill: being good at job applications.

That means that the nervous, those that might have great thoughts but aren’t so good at articulating them or using the buzz words, those that have great skills and qualifications in slightly different areas, are all disadvantaged by a process that is set up to be about ticking certain boxes. It’s inflexible.

And it’s edging towards bonkers. For instance, I’ve sat in many an interview (on both sides of things) when a question is answered that goes beyond the question and actually answers the next question, and yet the next question is still asked. And know of potentially brilliant people not even making it to interview because their skills or qualifications don’t quite match up. My partner was recently mortified that the team couldn’t find a way to give someone (they knew from another team) an interview because they ticked so few boxes in the application. They all knew this person would have been incredible. The HR machine said no.

She also needs to consider whether it’s realistic to get an entry level job in her chosen career without a Masters.

Depends on the sector

@mothersdaywoe "Recruitment agencies are paid by employers to find niche skills that the employers can’t find themselves
They can definitely find her and thousands like her themselves"

Not so. Employers use recruitment agencies as outsourced suppliers because they don't have (and often don't need) the capability to create and manage job advertisments, manage the initial response stages in a structured way, sort through hundreds or thousands of initial applications and draw up long-lists and short-lists. Employers also use recruitment agencies in order to remain anonymous, at least at the early stages of recruitment, so that they're not swamped by unsolicited applications.

Why have you not responded to the comments asking what sector she's looking for work in/what she studied? I mean, if you're legitimately looking for advice here, this would be the most relevant information to share.

Is she actually working at the moment? Or did she work at Tesco for six years previously? If she's not working now I would strongly suggest she does - it looks much better on a CV. Bar work, cleaning, whatever.

Asking how a young person gets into a career is very different to asking how they get a job (any job). You'll need to give us an idea of what she wants to do - what's her degree in? What does she think she'd like to do? Does she want a graduate scheme (in which case Tesco would be an obvious starting point), or does she want to do an actual job?

@MumbleBumbleAppleCrumble

”Especially nowadays when the process is more and more set up to protect potential employers from accusations of things like unconscious bias.”

Are you saying removal of unconscious bias from the process is a bad thing?

Agree with making sure LinkedIn up to date and attending networking events. Local law society events are often open to all. My husband was speaking at an event recently and there were only 2 or 3 students there (it was coincidentally held in an uni building so easy for students to get to) and they got 1-1 time with lots of people in the profession. Other professions will have similar networking opportunities.
The problem with graduating a year ago and then gap on cv is employers look at this and form a view. No service offering an introduction can override this.

If she joins Linkedin Premium there are lots of free workshops on there which might help too.

Don’t wholly dismiss recruitment agencies.

I work in a field where we recruit heavily from the same few agencies.

As I said, it would help if you gave a bit more info about what quals she has, what field etc

So is she still working for Tesco? Your posts are a bit confusing.

Have you looked at the offerings from
your Council? Ours do careers fairs fairly regularly and they are actually helpful - incl.
CV reviews and coaching.

If you give more details about field and types of jobs she is seeking you might get better answers.

Applying for jobs (cv creation, personal statement writing, pre-contact with a company, through to interviews and presentations, etc.) is a skill in itself.

Especially nowadays when the process is more and more set up to protect potential employers from accusations of things like unconscious bias. And so questions are set, things are based on scoring criteria (ticking certain boxes in answers and such).

While the aim there is (or once was) wholly good as it’s about fairness, sadly the reality is that it shuts down any real ability for interviews to become conversations and for employers to look beyond the scoring criteria. And means that those who have the skills suited to job applications stand a better chance of employment (and certainly in being more successful at getting into the later interview stages) than those less good at that self promotion and playing the game.

Ultimately it’s a disadvantage for all. I’ve known some people who are completely useless in the actual role having great success in getting jobs, and others who are and could be completely brilliant in a role fall in the early stages because they lack the skills to play the job application game. Sadly being good at interviews and self promotion doesn’t equal talent. (Just look at so many of our MPs).

So as sad as it is that we need to play these games - and so do things like pay a company to help with cvs and interview techniques - it’s probably worth doing to get on to a good footing.

@mothersdaywoe
What is her degree in? did she do an internship during her degree?
You need to provide information and not be snipping at ppl offering help.
Most students build up contacts whilst still at uni, my DD is doing a civil service internship this summer between 3rd and 4th year. She works pt and volunteers with a homeless community group ad hoc.
Im getting the impression that you and your DD thought the degree was a shoo in to a career.
And no I would not spend £500 in what sounds like a scam.

Are they on LinkedIn?

Well no because there's no guarantee of a job which means there won't be a job which means it's a rip off. Join an agency and they won't charge the job seeker. This firm is dodgy AF.

Plus £500 is a lot to cough up for an unemployed person who's never worked. Maybe not for you but you'd be better off flushing it down the toilet.